An Alternative Boo
by seek-to-enchant121584
Summary: Basically follows the premise of the episode "Boo!", but with my favorite transgenic written in. Max's journey takes a few interesting detours before reaching the same destination. Come on in and read my revised version of "Boo!" Complete.
1. Introduction

Author's notes: This story is dedicated to one of the best holidays: Halloween. I'm more or less following the original construct of the episode "Boo", but with a twist of Alec. Do you _not_ think he would have made that episode all that much better? I reference to scenes in the show in my rewrite, but it would have taken forever to manually write in each and every scene, even _if_ I could reproduce it word for word, so there's gonna be a few gaps. Since I'm assuming anyone that reads this is a fan of the show and has seen the episode this is based on, it should be fairly easy to navigate. I hope. I plan on posting it in small pieces, about seven or so chapters. My first chapter begins right after OC and Max convince Normal to close shop early and she has the date conversation with Rafer.

Music suggestions: 'Hard knock life (Ghetto Anthem)' by Jay-Z.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of Cameron Eglee Productions and FOX. The original characters and plot are the property of the author (which is me, in this particular case). I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. (This is my "serious" disclaimer :D )

An Alternate Boo: Chapter One

After Normal's announcement and Rafer's unexpected proposal, Max headed towards her locker as OC made her way to Normal's perch to grab a few packages they planned on delivering before the early closing time. Spinning the combination into her lock, Alec appeared at Max's side, seemingly from thin air.

"Hey, Max. I've got something going down tonight. You want in?" Alec asked after leaning against the locker opposite Max.

Max slanted back past Alec's figure to catch OC's dubious gaze. OC shrugged off Alec's unexplained presence, communicating her plan silently from the dispatch post as she picked up a handful of packages and nudged her head in the direction of their bikes. Max nodded in agreement and stood back upright. Closing her eyes and huffing out a breath behind her locker door, she opened her eyes to face Alec before slamming her locker door shut.

"No, Alec. I already have plans." Max replied brusquely, checking him in the shoulder as she crossed his path, which was partially blocking hers.

"You don't even want to know the details? What I'm up to?" Alec queried as she passed him, rubbing his shoulder absently. His tone was laced with confusion, perhaps even a hint of disappointment.

Neither of which were her problem.

"You're a big boy, Alec. Do whatever you want." Max said absently, dismissing him.

"What's so important that you're passing up a chance to chastise me, to lecture me about making sure I don't get into trouble?" Alec questioned with a frown as he trailed along in Max's wake.

"You're kidding, right?" Max asked incredulously, sparing him a quick glance. "It's Halloween and I've got a date."

The date part might not be the complete truth, but it was close enough.

"Oh, so that's what all the pumpkins and morbid decorations are about." Alec stated with a burst of clarity, his eyebrows arching up as he nodded his head once curtly.

Max had trouble reading whether or not he was just yanking her chain.

"You seriously didn't know." Max said in a neutral tone to clarify.

"How could I?" Alec asked, the temperature of his tone dropping several degrees as his usually mischievous eyes turned guarded and emotionless. Without saying another word, he snatched a random package off the counter and stalked past her out of the building.

"Whatever." Max said dismissively, slightly unsettled at not seeing that one coming.

Sometimes, it was difficult to remember that, however well he may play it off, this world was just as new and unknown to Alec as any other Manticore escapee. Shrugging it off, she pasted on a smile as she crossed the room to OC. Taking the packages OC held out to her, Max stuffed them carelessly into her backpack and grabbed her handlebars. She had better things to do than try and navigate through Alec's past and the niggling suspicion that something about him wasn't right.

She was getting out of work early today. She could stop by Joshua's and drop off a few groceries, maybe even spend a few minutes with him before heading home. Most importantly, there was a bubble bath beckoning her home, her name written all over it.

The peculiar sense that something was off finally blossomed into detail. When did Alec start working here?

ooohoaooloo*ooooloowoo*oooeoooeoono*

Yeah. I realized, almost too late, that Alec doesn't start working at Jam Pony until the following episode "Two". But I really wanted to use this scene, and the Raising Hell challenge _did_ state that we could do whatever we wanted...I tried very hard to make it believable, though. Thoughts? So, in between here and the next chapter, Max and OC have their costume discussion, deliver Joshua's groceries, argue about Joshua's only chance to blend in with the outside world, and Max falls asleep in her long awaited bubble bath. In the next chapter, Max wakes up in the bathtub.


	2. Revised Plans

Author's note: I'm more or less following the original construct of the show, but with a twist of Alec. I did try to follow as closely to the original storyline as possible, I even went so far as to rewatching the episode a couple times to line things up. This next chapter begins after Max climbs into her bubble bath and falls asleep.

Music suggestions: 'Maybe tomorrow' by Stereophonics.

Disclaimer: As previously stated in chapter 1.

Revised Plans

Posing once she entered the bathroom, Original Cindy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest once her eyes took in Max's restful pose.

"Wake up, boo." OC said briskly from the doorway of the bathroom.

"I'm awake." Max said defensively as she shot up into consciousness. Max slowly opened her eyes and rotated her head towards the sound of her friend's voice. "What time is it?" Max asked groggily.

"Time for you to get out of that tub and get ready for the party. Your boy is here." OC answered in a no-nonsense tone as she knelt beside the tub, her lips pursing together at the end.

"My boy? Which one?" Max asked, frowning as she sat up and pulled the plug from the drain. She didn't make any plans with Logan, considering how he planned to stay all holed up in his apartment with Asha, trying to make the world a better place or whatever. She'd refused Rafer's invitation to the party at Crash, even if she intended on going. If anyone was gonna be her date, it was OC, who actually made a pretty convincing Rick James.

"Which one." OC echoed under her breath, rolling her eyes. "Your date. The one that _doesn't_ know your true past." OC replied dryly, directed at Max.

"I don't know who you're talking about." Max said in a befuddled tone, wrapping her towel around her torso as she stood from the draining tub.

"Get dressed and you'll see." OC said mysteriously. "Girl didn't even ask me about my costume." Max heard OC mutter under her breath as she turned and left the bathroom, her shiny curls swinging and bouncing underneath her pimp hat.

Max sighed dejectedly at the thought of who waited for her at the other end of the hall.

ooohooaoolo*ooloowooo*ooeooeoonoo*

"Rafer?" Max asked in a confused tone, casting OC a quick askance glance over her shoulder.

She'd told Alec she had a date, but she'd really hadn't planned on going to the party with Rafer.

"Yeah. I figured I'd drop by and see if you'd reconsider. No costume?" Rafer asked pointedly after his brief explanation.

"Yeah. I don't really do Halloween." Max admitted in a jaded and dismissive way. "What about you?"

"Like it?" Rafer said, spinning around and pointing at the barcode pasted to the back of his neck.

"What are you, a runaway mannequin from a department store?" Max joked in the lightest tone she could affect. Her haunted eyes glared at the barcode. OC patted her shoulder sympathetically.

"No! I'm a genetically engineered killing machine that's escaped from a government run lab." Rafer replied, turning back around to face the two girls, expecting them to be impressed. "What? Don't read the tabloids?" Rafer asked as Max stared on in mute shock.

"So, uh...weren't we supposed to meet at Crash?" Max asked, changing the subject.

"Actually, this is kind of embarrassing...My mother would really like to meet you. Would you mind dropping by my mom's place with me?" Rafer asked hesitantly, looking slightly chagrined for having to ask.

"Your mom?" Max asked in a bemused tone, appalled at the mere thought.

"Yeah. She'd really like to meet you." Rafer repeated slowly, holding his hands out openly. "Is that a problem?"

Heaving a deep sigh, Max pasted a big smile on her face. "No. Not at all."

It all went downhill from there.

oohoooaoolo*oooolooowoo*ooeooooeoono*

_Death_. That one word spoken with such a tone of finality sent a chill down Max's spine. She stared at the curtains swaying from the breeze caused by the open window, lost in thought.

"_Max. _Max." called a displaced voice.

Spooked from her wandering thoughts, Max ambled suspiciously towards the open window and the voice that sounded oddly like Joshua. But it couldn't be him right?

Pulling the curtain aside, Max peered into the face of her dog-faced older "brother" Joshua.

"What are you doing here?" Max hissed in a low tone, watchful of the return of Rafer or his mother.

"Tricks and treats." Joshua replied. He then began pointing towards the opposite end of the alley.

"Not now! Hide!" Max ordered, swinging around at Rafer's reappearance. Fingering the drapes in an admiring way, Max spoke to Rafer. "You just don't see material like this anymore."

"I'm sorry. She just got a little worked up..." Rafer began, trailing off when his mom beckoned him. Leaving the thought unfinished, he took off again at Max's shooing motion and reassuring smile.

The smile abruptly fell from her lips as she yanked the curtains back open. "What is it?"

"Sally." Joshua said simply and began gesturing again.

"Five minutes. Do you hear me? And then you'll go home?" Max relented in an admonishing tone. At Joshua's quick acquiescent nod, Max climbed out the window and followed him down the dark alley.

Before Joshua had interrupted her unusual meeting with Rafer's mother, she'd been really unsettled by his mom's uncanny accuracy about her life. It was as if her carefully constructed persona was crumbling down around her ears, and she could do nothing but watch in abject horror as everything that made her Max Guevera was snatched from her fingertips.

And worst of all, was she really gonna die? Or was she going to be the cause of many other deaths? Her loved ones?

On one hand, she was thankful for Joshua's properly distracting her. On the other...

Sally happened. And now there was a headless transgenic on the lam and an ass that talked and looked like a head, stuffed in a pillowcase.

oohooaooloo*oolooooowoo*ooeooeoonooo*

This chapter ends around the time Max meets up with the rest of the transgenics in the cafe and they head over to Jam Pony in search of the package. The alley scene that resulted in Sally losing his head, the cafe interaction, the close call with Normal, and all the other stuff that happened before they get to Crash can be assumed in the progression of this story. All happening before the next chapter, of course!


	3. Tango: Max

Author's notes: I'm more or less following the original construct of the show, but with a twist of Alec. And worry not, Alec is back for this chapter, as well as the rest of the story! Chapter three begins after Max and her merry band of misfits enter Crash looking for Sally's body. The title should be a giveaway as to what happens next.

Music suggestions: 'Tango: Maureen' by Tracie Thoms and Anthony Rapp.

Disclaimer: See chapter one. That should be disclaimer enough for the Dark Angel parts. I also don't own anything pertaining to Dancing with the Stars.

Tango: Max

Max had honestly thought the night couldn't get any more bizarre when she led her awkward team of merry men into Crash looking for a headless body. But not even a full minute after splitting up the group and talking with OC, Alec was pitching Sally's head distractedly over his shoulder and whisking her onto the dance floor, in the form of a six foot Robin Hood decked out in green leather.

The burdened pillowcase arced and landed in OC's surprised, outstretched hands.

She caught a brief glance of Logan and Asha making time at a secluded corner table as Alec tugged her through the crowded dance floor to the far opposite corner from the other couple. Instead of following her first instinct to confront, she forced her attention back to the present problem of Alec hauling her out on the dance floor. As if he actually intended to do something mortally stupid and try to dance with her.

"Alec, are you mental?" Max asked in a deathly chill tone, giving him about ten seconds to explain himself before she kneed him in the balls. She'd been waiting for the excuse ever since she'd first met him.

"I need your help for just a minute." Alec said in a business-like tone, a tone completely unlike the Alec she'd become familiar with.

"What's up?" Max asked in an assertive tone, switching gears as Alec positioned them at one corner of the dance floor.

It was then that he put his hand at her waist, hers on his shoulder, and extended their linked hands as the music abruptly transitioned into some Latin instrumental song, full of tango flavor.

"Alec, you did _not_ bring me out here to tango!" Max stated emphatically through clenched teeth.

Alec spared her a quick smirk before he started them off, reminding her that the real Alec was still there inside. As if by magic, a path opened through the other dancers as they prepared to move. Reflexively, Max fell into step alongside his lead. It was a lot easier dancing in motorcycle boots than heels, and she was instantly relieved.

However, it should have struck her as odd that she was dancing at all to begin with.

"We've got an assassin." Alec whispered in her ear after pulling her up flush against his chest from a full dip.

"Details." Max said in a clipped tone, her assessing eyes scanning the crowd suspiciously as they paused for her intricate leg kicks around his. In the far corner of her multi-tasking mind, she noted that Alec had excellent form. If there was any other point in time for her to realize something suspicious, it would be when she began judging Alec's dancing technique. Seeing as the only experience she had was from watching a few Dancing with the Stars reruns.

"Could be Manticore. Perhaps Familiar. He's been tracking and killing transgenics and ordinaries all over the Seattle area. According to Logan, the count's up to seven confirmed kills, five of those transgenic." Alec explained as they rounded the edge of the dance floor fluidly and started off again in the other direction.

"Logan gave you a mission and didn't tell me?" Max asked darkly as Alec held up their joined hands and she made a circuit around his body, her eyes narrowing in anger.

"I did try to tell you earlier today." Alec said in a soothing, placating tone, meeting her eyes as he followed her descent in another dip. Her leg extended out and around his left side. His tone returned to crisp and all business as her leg fell to the floor and he brought them back upright. He pivoted them 180 degrees and repeated the same dip. "Right now I'm gathering intel. I just couldn't get a lead until now. Apparently, whatever he's up to, it's happening tonight. I picked up his scent earlier today and I've been following him for a few hours, up until he came into Crash. Of course, from Logan's sketchy preliminary intel, the guy was supposed to at least have a head attached to his body."

"Wait. You're looking for a _headless_ assassin?" Max asked abruptly as Alec stood upright and dragged her, cradled in his left arm, along at a 45 degree angle. She cast her gaze around in all directions. "Where is he?"

Alec pulled Max back up with eyebrows raised. "He disappeared into the back room about ten minutes ago." Alec answered matter of factly, sweeping Max around in a graceful spin.

"So why are we dancing?" Max asked in a smoldering tone, her patience reaching its end as she met Alec's laughing eyes at the end of her spin.

"I just wanted to see how long you'd go along with the dancing." Alec replied smoothly as the song came to a close, spinning away from her and releasing her hand when their arms reached their extended joined limit. "You have excellent form, by the way."

Growling in frustration, Max stomped off towards the ladies' room, as Alec doubled over laughing.

She needed a break from all this insanity.

oohooaoolooo*olooowooo*oeooooeoono*

So, did you like my little tango scene? The song is from the musical "Rent" and it's the only tango dancing song I own. The storyline of the song has nothing to do with how this chapter turned out. The actual idea originally came from the movie "True Lies". Both the movie version of "Rent" and "True Lies" have prime examples, and that's what I'm pulling from.


	4. An Even More Unusual Development

Author's notes: I'm more or less following the original construct of the show, but with a twist of Alec. Chapter four continues after Max returns from her restroom visit. We're still in Crash. And...a dash of something com_pletely_ different in the form of Max picking up a sixth sense.

Music suggestions: 'Things I've seen' by Spooks.

Disclaimer: Reference chapter one's disclaimer.

An Even More Unusual Development

Max halted suddenly as she entered an entirely different scene and atmosphere as she exited the hallway leading to the restrooms. A man from each chapter of her life squared off in front of her, each looking murderous. Well, except perhaps for Logan, who had a, for the lack of a better description, smug expression on his face. Alec stood a few feet from the doorway she was standing in, as if guarding her from the other two. Rafer stood opposite Alec, sneering reproachfully.

Rafer really had no idea what he was getting himself into. She didn't know much about Alec and what kind of training he'd had, but she was fairly certain that he could easily kill Rafer five different ways before the paramedic even realized Alec was moving. Hell, _she_ could take him out fairly effectively and effortlessly, and she hadn't put in nearly as much time at Manticore.

What the hell was going on?

To make matters all that much worse, Rafer started inching closer to Alec.

It was the freakiest thing, but she could almost see the silent rage radiating from Alec like a red wave pulsing from his very pores as Rafer crowded into his personal space. She stood a few feet behind him, but she could almost predict the expression on Alec's face...a compact and lethal killing machine hidden underneath a thin veneer of cool detatchment.

Something even more unusual and noteworthy: laced within all that rage, ran a deep purple, instinctive urge to protect.

That was something new. Both the aura-reading ability and the protective vibe from Alec.

Max tuned back into the scene when Rafer started speaking.

"And just what exactly would you have more in common with Max than me? What makes you think that she'd choose you instead?" Rafer spat out belligerently, his head cocking to one side.

"Well, for starters, we're both..." Alec began in a superior tone, taking a step forward to call Rafer's challenge.

Max cut him off abruptly. "Alec!" Max gritted out threateningly. "Jeez. What's gotten into you?" He'd practically outed them for no good reason, just to win an argument.

Alec's lips slammed shut into a thin line and he retreated back to his original position, his eyes glaring daggers at Rafer. She could almost visibly see his pride take a blow when she called him off, which made no sense at all. She didn't need anyone to fight her battles, a fact she'd reminded him of more than once. Even when she didn't know what was being brought into question.

"What Alec was going to say is that we both went to the same boarding school." Max said, finishing Alec's sentence as she stepped around him and inbetween the two bickering boys.

She could have sworn Alec's aura encompassed and interlaced itself around her as he physically stepped to her right side, still partially behind her but ready to launch himself at anyone that made a wrong move towards her.

Any other time, it would have been irksome and irritating. However, right then, she found it rather reassuring.

"Didn't know there were any of those around anymore." Rafer stated challengingly, looking down into Max's eyes skeptically.

"Before the pulse. As kids." Max lied smoothly, folding her arms over her chest. Alec continued to glare over her shoulder in silence.

"I thought you were an orphan." Rafer volleyed, thinking himself clever at catching her in a lie.

He didn't realize he'd just unknowingly hit one of her sorest spots. Her eyes narrowed into thin slits and her fists clenched.

Alec's lips curved into a menacing smile, extending one arm out to rest his hand on her right elbow. She then felt something blue and mellow wrap around her quickly frazzling emotions, soothing her. Somehow, she recognized it as also coming from Alec and relaxed minutely. Both his presence and his support reminding her of where they were. And that he was there for her.

"I wasn't always an orphan, smartass." Max retorted in a voice filled with suppressed anger.

The haughty expression was wiped quickly from Rafer's face at Max's grave tone, leaving him floundering.

Max herself felt like she was floundering. "Just go. Leave me alone." Max ordered in a weary tone, uncrossing her arms to wave him off. Her movement also dislodged Alec's gentle touch at her elbow.

Once Rafer was out of earshot, Max turned her barely contained anger towards Logan, who appeared chagrined before she even started speaking.

"What the hell, Logan? At least Rafer has an excuse for acting an idiot." Max accused, hands on her hips. "You, on the other hand, should have known better. I mean, really? You just encouraged an ordinary to rile Alec, of all people. You should know what a transgenic is capable of. Like poking your finger at a sleeping tiger's nose." She finished her emphatic speech by waving her hand in Alec's general direcion.

"Wow, Max. Thanks for the compliment." Alec said in a half-teasing tone.

"Shut up." Max snapped at him, backhanding him in the chest without turning to look. He always seemed to be within reaching distance.

"You're right, Max." Logan admitted begrudgingly. "I apologize." Without further encouragement, Logan turned from the duo and dejectedly made his way to the table he and Asha were seated at.

When it was only Alec remaining at her side, it was then that Max took in the full affect of just what Alec was wearing.

"What are you wearing?" Max queried aloud, her tone a cross between weariness and perplexed.

"A costume." Alec answered proudly, turning back and forth in each profile for her to admire. "Know who I am?"

"Robin Hood?" Max guessed after a thoughtful pause.

Alec held his hands out from his sides and gave an exaggerated sigh.

"Green Arrow, Max." Alec said. He shook his head and held his hands up in exasperation at her blank expression. "Oliver Queen? Formed the Justice League? Billionare by day, vigilante hero by night?"

"No idea." Max said at Alec's expectant look.

"You're killing me, Max. Don't you watch TV at all?" Alec asked imploringly.

The red had almost completely ebbed away, to be replaced with a dazzling swirl of purple, royal blue, and a shimmery pale green. Max emitted a low chuckle at his antics, the first time she'd truly laughed that day. His relaxed and content essence was contagious.

For about six seconds.

An eerie silence descended around them, cutting off Alec's diatribe midsentence as both Max and Alec turned their heads in unison towards the abrupt hush at the back of the bar.

"We need to go." Max stated succinctly. Alec followed behind on her heels as she rushed off towards the back exit.

"Found body." Joshua said as Max and Alec hurdled past him in pursuit of the fleeing headless transgenic.

"Alec, we need a car!" Max yelled, the back door slamming against the brick wall as they all rushed out in a line.

"On it." Alec volleyed, relaying a hand signal towards his first search area.

"I've got a head to retrieve." Max muttered in a determined tone to Joshua, who stalked a few paces behind her as she caught sight of OC waiting out front of the club, blue pillowcase in hand.

ooouoooxooo*oooaooodooo*ooonooomoooo

Phew! This was one of my longer chapters. Actually, it's more on par with my usual writing, so I don't know what I'm complaining about. Confused by Max's aura-like empathic ability? I'll sort of explain it in the next chapter. Also, in my version, it actually is Logan and Asha making out at that table instead of a couple look-a-likes (Just a little heads up to tuck away for future reference). Up next, we really start to go AU from the show.


	5. A Testosterone Filled Car Ride

Author's notes: I'm more or less following the original construct of the show, but with a twist of Alec. Alright, I've just got to say thanks for all the fantastic reviews thus far! The feeling I get whenever I read a new review will never get old. Chapter five: Rafer is left behind, Alec takes his place, and an entirely different car ride takes place. (Unfortunately, this cuts out that hilarious scene involving the laughing gas from this version.)

Music suggestions: 'Know your enemy' by Green Day.

Disclaimer: Chapter one contains a very serious, overstated disclaimer that should cover all the chapters following it.

A Testosterone-filled Car Ride 

"Is that a head?" Alec asked in a bemused tone, his attention divided between the road and the assassin in a pillowcase.

"You got a problem with that?" Sally asked in a muffled, belligerent tone. "Just wait till I get my body back. I'll kick your pansy ass into next week."

"Try it and we'll see how long your head stays attached to that elusive body of yours." Alec returned darkly, accepting the challenge presented.

Something was seriously up with Alec. She couldn't figure out when he'd been suddenly struck with testosterone poisoning. It was as if he had to go on the defensive with every man he came into contact with. It was an attitude that was completely atypical to the Alec she knew. Before, he was willing to follow her lead, albeit most often reluctantly. Now, it was like he was in a perpetual snit, snapping at any and everyone that he came into contact with. Except for her. God only knew what had got him started back at Crash.

"Could we focus here, please?" Max said in a frosty tone, diverting the crisis that was forming between Alec and the head propped on her right knee. "Where's your body's final destination?"

"Yeah, like I'm just gonna tell you that. Since I've been so forthcoming in the past." Sally replied sarcastically, refocusing his attention, in the form of droll impatience, on Max.

"What's going on here? Why's Joshua out? And who are all these people?" Alec asked incredulously, casting a quick confused glance at Joshua before turning an apprehensive glance at the other two anomalies crammed in the backseat of their borrowed Crown Vic.

"Not now, Alec." Max snapped. She understood his confusion and knew he deserved some credit at taking this all so well, but time was on the line. Someone was still due to die, and they didn't know the when, who, where, or how. Besides, it was too hard to keep from snapping at someone and she knew Alec could take some of her trapped up steam.

"Jeez. No wonder he's so touchy. His balls are probably blue from the stranglehold you've put on them." Sally commented conversationally, giving the distinct impression that he'd be shaking his head back and forth in disapproval if he had neck muscles. "Do you _ever _put out? Is that why he sticks around, because the sex is so good he's willing to wait for you to throw him the occasional bone?"

"Give me the bag, Max. I swear I'm gonna throw it out the window and drive over it a few times." Alec bit out in a lethal tone, one arm lunging for the bag. A crimson red, smoke-like aura swirled to the surface, coiling and twisting just above his skin as an impulsive rage took precedence in Alec's mind.

"No, Alec! Watch the road!" Max commanded succinctly, tossing the burdened pillowcase to Joshua in the backseat.

Steam practically poured from Alec's ears, and for a brief moment, Max feared that Alec might jerk the car over to the curb, grab Sally, and follow through with his threat. And counting the black tendrils woven throughout his aura, a few other painful activities would be added afterwards, resulting in Sally's untimed death.

Alec had really taken Sally's insult to heart. In the past, there had been a time or two when she questioned if he actually had one.

On the other hand, she questioned the presence of her own from time to time.

A satisfied chuckle emitted from the bag. Further placating action had to be taken.

"Are you wearing socks, Joshua?" Max asked in a light, brisk tone. Her fingertips steepled as she tapped them against each other in thoughtful glee.

The chuckling abruptly silenced.

"Yes." Joshua replied easily, if not a little confused by the question.

"Take one off and stuff it in Sally's mouth until he's ready to give us pertinent information about his body." Max continued, a smug expression staring out at the road before them. She stole a quick peek at Alec from out of the corner of her eye. The red was diminishing, only to morph into something grey and morose-looking.

"He's a jackass." Max said to fill the repressive silence, attempting to lighten his mood. God only knew why she suddenly felt the need to make him happy.

Alec's fingers gripped the steering wheel so tightly, his knuckles turned white. " I would know, right?" Alec replied scornfully, a oppressive slate-colored cloud surrounding Alec's profile. Apparently, he hadn't interpreted the jibe as she'd originally thought.

She paused thoughtfully at his harsh tone and the weird aura reading ability that she'd developed. A frown of consternation formed between her eyebrows, letting the silence stretch to maximum uncomfortable proportions as Joshua followed through with her command. She was really beginning to wonder about this whole color thing. Why it was only Alec that she could read? None of other transgenics in the car so much as blipped on her empathic radar. It was as if she and Alec were connected on some other level. Perhaps Manticore had been on to something, pairing them.

Her musings shifted to his fed up tone. She'd never actually considered the fact that Alec might take her opinions to heart.

Unfortunately, she didn't have all sorts of time to linger. They had an assassination attempt to thwart. "Take a left at the next intersection. I've got something I need to take care of at Logan's while he and Asha are out."

ohooaooloo*ooloooowooe*ooeoonoooo*

I know, I didn't explain the whole empath-like ability Max picked up in the last chapter. Truth be told, I don't have much of one to give you. I figured, the roundabout way Alec's been in her life thus far has Max confused about who he truly is. He helps her, then stabs her in the back. But then, he comes back to help her, but with ulterior motives (that happens more in the later episodes of the show, but still). In the show, she doesn't really seem to think too deeply about Alec until "The Berrisford Agenda", but I think that in her subconscious, she'd have a random Alec debate. This is just a way of her innermost thoughts manifesting an explanation. We're nearing the end! Just another few chapters! Up next, our "treasure hunters" break into Logan's apartment.


	6. Rest Stop At Logan's

Author's notes: I'm more or less following the original construct of the show, but with a twist of Alec. Chapter six: Sally still gets a swirly, Rafer makes a reappearance, and Max gets sucked into a game of Charades.

Music suggestions: 'Taking care of business' by Bachman-Turner Overdrive.

Disclaimer: Refer to chapter one for proper disclaimer.

Rest Stop at Logan's

"Alec. Keep them occupied while I interrogate Sally." Max ordered swiftly the moment Logan's front door was securely shut behind them.

"How?" Alec demanded, his tone both incredulous and impatient, making a sweeping motion with his arm across the apartment as the rest of their party shuffled into the common area of Logan's apartment.

"Hell, I don't know. Play charades for all I care." Max replied just as impatiently, carrying the heavy pillowcase towards the bathroom.

"Why can't I participate in _your_ activity?" Alec yelled down the hall after her.

"Because this is a grown up activity not meant for the kiddies." Sally's muffled voice sounded from the bag, Joshua having retrieved his sock on the elevator ride up.

"Because we need him alive!" Max yelled back quickly after Sally's reply, thumping the bag against the wall soundly before she turned into the bathroom and clicked the door shut behind her.

Alec scowled from his position before pulling a cheerful mask over his expression and demeanor to corral the other transie's towards the living room.

"Alright, then. Who wants to play charades?" Alec asked boisterously, clapping his hands together eagerly.

ooohooaooloo*ooloooowooeoo*oooeoonooooo*

Max was in the process of giving Sally a double swirly as she heard the handle on the door moving. Thinking it was Alec going against her judgement, she prepared to turn to give him a tongue lashing. Pulling the head out of the toilet and pivoting to face the opening door, the door opened to reveal Rafer standing on the other side. Whatever words he'd been about to say froze halfway past his lips at the sight of a sputtering head hanging from Max's hand. Max froze in mute panic, and her brain zipped through a thousand different possible scenarios that would explain a fully articulate, sarcastic, _alive_ head hanging from her clenched fist.

Needless to say, each and every one sounded absolutely insane.

"Uh...What are you doing here?" Max asked Rafer in a surprised tone, staring in shocked disbelief as Rafer's jaw dropped in view of the very wet and animated head in her hand.

Sally chose that moment to speak.

"Alright, alright. I'll talk." Sally confessed in a depressed tone.

Rafer's mouth moved, but no sound came from his mouth.

"Alec!" Max bellowed, sparing a quick panicked smile at Rafer.

Alec appeared in the doorway, skidding to a halt a moment later. "What's he doing here?" Alec asked, almost echoing Max's earlier question.

"I was hoping you could tell me that." Max replied in a clipped tone, both of them ignoring the loudly protesting head and silent Rafer, his wide eyes never leaving the head.

"Logan and Asha are back. He must have came along with them." Alec supplied usefully, jerking his thumb over his shoulder towards the living room.

"Great! Just fantastic!" Max replied, sarcastic cheerfullness filling her tone. "Do you think maybe you could take Rafer with you, away from here?" Max asked through a fake smile, full of teeth. "I've just got to finish up a few things here."

"Got ya." Alec said with a wink and a quick snickering sound. Clapping his hand on Rafer's shoulder, he startled the man out of his reverie as Alec forcefully rotated the paramedic in the opposite direction.

"C'mon, man. Let's let Max do her girly thing. Say, do you like charades?" Alec said, leading Rafer out of the bathroom, sliding the door shut behind him.

"You said something about talking?" Max asked brightly, holding the head up to face level, patting his cheek depreciatively.

oohooaooloo*ooolooowoo*ooeoeoonoo*

She really shouldn't have been surprised when she walked into the living room and saw Alec swinging from the ceiling light fixture and looking as if his brain had lost a few millenia's worth of intelligence.

The small group consisting of Joshua, Kat, Dieter, Rafer, and Asha stood facing her, with Alec's back to the doorway she occupied. It appeared as if they'd been at this one for a few minutes. Max shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest in a bellicose manner.

"Planet of the Apes." Asha guessed, slightly bent over with her elbows on her knees and her hands partially covering her ears, as if concentrating really hard. She glance up at Alec to check whether or not she was right.

He shook his head no and leapt gracefully to the floor. He then began to pantemime swinging through the air, as if on a rope.

"One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest!" Dieter exclaimed, holding a finger up as if brilliance had struck.

Everyone that had been playing emphatically stopped gesticulating and postulating to stare at the lizard man blankly. Even Alec paused for a moment with an eyebrow raised at the totally off-base suggestion.

"What?" Dieter asked defensively, shrugging and straightening out his football helmet. "I always wanted to say that. Sounds good when you think about it."

Pushing both hands out as if giving up on the absurd suggestion and the second clue to his first word, Alec then held up two fingers to indicate he was moving on to the second word. He then held one hand out flat, palm facing him as the other waved back and forth over the first, as if flipping something over it.

"Pushing something overboard." Joshua muttered musingly, crouching down and following Alec's motion with a slight sway to his upper body.

Alec shook his head "no" and went back to the rainbow arching motion, turning it more into a flick at one end.

"Breaking out of somewhere. Prison Break." Asha guessed, biting her lower lip and scrunching her nose as she thought aloud.

Alec shook his head again in the negative, and exaggerated the gesture even more, staring intently at his palm.

"Oh for the love of God..." Max muttered under her breath, standing up from her post at the doorway. "It's The Jungle Book." Max called out in an exasperated tone, making her presence known as she stepped over the threshold, body-less assassin in a pillowcase in tow.

Alec appeared perplexed. "How'd you figure it out?"

"You swinging around like an idiot combined with the turning pages of a book. Simple." Max explained with a careless shrug. Her lips twitched upward for a fraction of a second. "Now if you all don't mind, we've got a priest to save."

oohooaooloo*oolooowoo*ooooeooeoonoo*

I really wanted to include a scene that involved Alec playing charades with the rest of the group, but I really had no clue how to set something like that up, much less make it something completely Alec and hilarous-like. I hope what I ended up with got the job done. Was it at all plausible? Getting The Jungle Book from Alec's clues, I mean? Almost over! By the way, bellicose is actually a word! (Yeah, I was totally surprised by that fact when I was looking up belligerent. Apparently, it's a lighter version of belligerent. Just a fun, useless factoid.) Up next, we skip over a few details, like conversations with Logan and reach straight for the conclusion.


	7. Showdown

Author's note: I originally planned to skip straight over all the fight and rescue scene, but after I posted over on Raising Hell, I felt as if the story were lacking because of it. So, I took a day off from posting another chapter to try and come up with something. And _this_ is the result. So, in this chapter, we still glaze over most of the fight scene, and most of it remains the same as it did in the show, but poor Alec gets wounded in the process. Oh, and Max and Alec _kind of_ bond.

Music suggestions: 'Let's get it started' by Black Eyed Peas.

Disclaimer: There's a formal, all-encompassing disclaimer in chapter one.

Showdown

Alec shadowed Max as they set a brisk pace down the theater's maintenance level, Joshua, Dieter, and Kat completing the diamond formation around him. They all listened intently to Max's directions.

Max halted them as she doled out directions for the search of the headless assassin.

"Joshua, you take the basement." Max began, looking to her right as she spoke.

She noted Alec's eyeroll from the corner of her eye moments before Joshua complained.

"Joshua in basement. Always the plan." Joshua grumbled after a frustrated huff.

"Fine, then take the roof." Max corrected impatiently.

She then turned and gave the basement to Dieter and backstage to Kat and Alec. She assigned herself the catwalks. After all, it was her mission, she should get to choose her own search area.

That was when Kat began to complain, claiming to be better suited for the catwalks. Her frazzled nerves began snapping in quick succession. She felt Alec take a step back from her, along with a few chuckles.

"How about you do what I say, and we don't have a problem." Max snapped angrily, pulling rank. She leaned forward towards Kat, waiting for the feline woman to rebuke her again. A pregnant pause had the tension between the two women practically crackling in the air.

Joshua leaned in to Alec's ear conspiratorily and remarked, "Cat fight."

Alec snorted in response but said nothing in agreement. Kat broke the intense staring contest, giving up the argument by turning her face away with an angry pout.

"Alright. Break." Max commanded. The group scattered in all directions.

ooohooaoloo*oloowooo*ooeooeonoo*

Max came to sharply at someone calling out her name. That asshole had knocked her out. Which, frankly, didn't make any sense considering the body technically couldn't see her in the first place. Fighting off unconsciousness, she stood and looked for the source of the voice.

"Max, go!" Alec called out urgently, pointing up. Quickly shifting her gaze to where he pointed, her body began moving towards the ropes extending into the ceiling once again.

Sally's body was in position, waiting for the perfect shot, it would seem. The body couldn't seem to figure out the priest's exact location.

Max was flying through the air for the second time as Sally began calling to Father MacCallister, allowing the business end of the assassin to hone in.

One shot rang out as she swooped in feet first, knocking the rifle and Sally's body back a few steps.

Max turned to look in horror as Alec fell to his knees, surprise etched on his face. She didn't have much time to dwell on the fact, though, as Sally's body moved in, punching and kicking. She heard shuffling sounds along with outraged complaints and assumed that the rest of her team had swooped in and carted the priest off to safety. She could only hope that Alec's injury was superficial and that he'd went for cover as well.

The fight ended as abruptly as it had started when she pinned Sally's body against the railing, kicking him full force in the family jewels. And before he could recover, a secondary kick was delievered, propelling him over the edge to land with a resounding thud on the stage below.

That would teach Sally to never piss her off.

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"I'm just saying, Max. I've got a feeling that this isn't gonna be the last time I get shot if I keep sticking close to you." Alec stated morbidly, sitting on the tailgate of the open ambulance and slumping over slightly from exhaustion and blood loss.

"Then I guess you must be hightailing it outta here as soon as you get the chance." Max replied in as neutral tone as she could muster, leaning against one of the open doors and facing Alec as the paramedic checked Alec's wound. The pangs of remorse those thoughts gave her almost made her want to take the words back. There had to be some other explanation because missing Alec was absurd.

She could only describe the neon yellow color that streaked quickly through Alec's aura as panic. The chalky grey color of intense pain had settled into his aura for the foreseeable future. And worst of all, she recognized the slate grey of resignation making its way to the surface. All of these were visible only to her for some unexplained reason. At the moment, she was glad for the ability, because otherwise, Alec was as blank as an untouched painting canvas.

"Nah. You kidding?" Alec said, waving the suggestion away like a pesky mosquito, he then winced minutely as the paramedic dabbed alcohol on his shoulder in preparation to bandage him up. "Now that we've let out all the crazies, someone's gotta be around to get your back. And, no offense, but I don't see anyone else lining up for the position."

"Funny. Ha ha. You see me laughin'?" Max quipped dryly, looking down at her boots. She then stuffed her hands in her pockets and shifted back and forth on the balls of her feet. "Listen. Thanks for, you know, looking out for me like that. Otherwise, we'd have a priest in a body bag right now."

"Don't worry about it, Max. I know you'd do the same if our positions were reversed." Alec returned, the look in his eyes uncertain as they met Max's.

The hesitation before she spoke said volumes. "Of course." Max replied with a forced aloof smile. She then jerked her head in the direction of the rest of their congregation. "I'm gonna go check on the others. You gonna be alright?"

Nodding affirmatively, Alec turned his attention towards the paramedic, dismissing Max and allowing her to leave.

oohooaooloo*oolooowoo*ooeooeoonooo*

I think that subconsciously, Max would realize that after all those years alone, it would be good to have someone that would look out for her, maybe even be able to protect her as an equal. And so far, the only other person around that can physically be at her back, and has actually bailed her out of a few jams, is Alec. So I came up with that last scene. What gets skipped between here and the next chapter? Logan and Asha stealing credit and looking to get hitched, as well as Normal sending in the po-po calvary to arrest all the "evil-doing" transgenics. Up next, Max has a decision to make, and Max has a revelation.


	8. Revelations

Author's notes: Can you believe it, people? This is the end. It's been a good - albeit, strange - trip, right? Well, _I _think it was. Anyhoo, chapter eight takes place after the fight scene, when Max gives the priest that preposterous explaination for the whole assignation plot, and everyone starts showing up unexpectedly and confessing.

Music suggestions: 'One last look' by Crimson Soul.

Disclaimer: Yep, my "serious" disclaimer resides in chapter one. Not that I'm gonna need one for this story any longer.

Revelations

The situation was dropping into the even more absurd by the second. Asha and Logan coming out of the closet, in just about every imaginable way? Asking to get _married_? She knew there was something going on with those two, but seriously? Moving a little too fast for her liking. What was going to happen next? Was Seth going to pop up from behind the stage, claiming that he'd been alive the whole time? And, just to spice things up, Zack would reappear, claiming to be her one true love.

Unfortunately, the worst possible thing happened. Normal showed up.

"There they are! Arrest those monsters!" Normal bellowed menacingly, pointing his finger towards Joshua and the rest of their group.

Max's panicked eyes darted over to Normal and his mob squad as a handful of uniformed sector police moved forward to execute his order. Alec shot up from his perch, prepared to take action until the paramedic gently, but firmly, pressed him back down into a seated position.

"Stop! They didn't do anything wrong!" Max yelled defensively as a police officer began to handcuff Joshua.

"What would you know about these monsters? You with them?" The officer asked in an accusatory manner, pinning her with a hard glare as he cuffed a struggling Joshua.

Max hesitated, indecision catching her between helping out her friends - her _family_ - and keeping her deepest and darkest secret just that. Admitting she was like Joshua, Kat, and Dieter, may make her feel like a burden was lifted off her shoulders, but wouldn't really help anybody. In the end, nothing would change. And they would all go to jail together as one big, happy, mutant family.

She ducked away from the officer's gaze remorsefully. "No." Max denied, shaking her head.

The sector police carted the three transhumans off the stage, dismissing Max. Joshua directed a betrayed look at Max as he was dragged away.

Alec came up behind Max and looked at her strangely after the theater's visitors began to clear out. It was only by the sickly yellow color that surrounded him that clued her in to his surprised disappointment after she turned to face him.

"Max? You're just gonna let them go? They're our family." Alec whispered emphatically, discontentment lacing his every word.

"What was I supposed to do, Alec?" Max hissed furtively in return. "I'm afraid. I don't want to go to jail." Max admitted in an almost inaudible tone, ducking her head again.

"What happened to the Max that would save a fellow soldier, despite the odds? Now, when it means coming out of the closet, you up and bail? You know I would have backed you up and we could have gotten everyone outta here. So we would've had to leave the state, start someplace new. Big deal. But you didn't do a thing, not when it really mattered. It's good to know early on that if I'm ever in trouble with the cops, you won't be there to get my back." Alec said, shaking his head disbelievingly, completely disillusioned.

He walked away before Max could think of a proper reply. What was worse, his words actually hurt her already bruised and battered conscious.

oohooaooloo*oolooowooo*ooeoooeooono*

Max perched on the edge of the Space Needle, caught up in her thoughts as the strong winds whipped her hair around haphazardly. OC appeared through the broken window and crouched beside the wall, alerting Max of her presence.

"Mind if I join you, boo?" OC asked cautiously.

"No." Max said dejectedly, nodding her head to the spot beside her.

OC eased her way down the sloping metal and sat beside Max, adopting a contemplative air as they sat in silence for a few minutes. Max continued to wallow in her own misery.

Alec was right. Standing up for the underdog was a core part of her personality. On more than one level, she was denying parts of her true nature from fully expressing themselves, because she considered them embarrassing. Or dangerous.

The past flashed before her eyes in snippets, important images relevant to her current thought processes taking precedence. Escaping Manticore for the first time and getting separated from the group. Leaving Ben behind after beating the crap out of him. Joshua helping her escape from Manticore a second time. Alec helping her free that group of young X's and sending out the 'go to ground' signal, saving hundreds from being captured and slaughtered. Joshua's silent, desperate plea for help being denied so she could save her own skin.

"What the hell was that?" OC asked in a suspicious tone.

"Flashback. Happens all the time." Max retorted casually. She refused to look up from the toes of her boots as she clutched her knees to her chest.

"Thought I was tripping." OC breathed in relief. "That was some pretty heavy stuff. But you know what the worst part was?"

"What?" Max asked when OC paused.

"The worst part wasn't some talking head in a bag, or anomalies eatin' haggis, or even Joshua gettin' hauled off by the po-pos. It was my girl denying who she really is...denying the people that she loves. Sugar, that's the worst thing that you ever coulda done. That was the saddest thing I've ever seen." OC replied, sorrow permeating her tone.

Max stared over at OC, a mixture of contriteness and confusion warring over her features.

"How did you know all that?" Max asked in a perplexed tone.

"Why are you naked?" OC tossed back in reply, staring at Max like she was crazy.

Gasping, Max looked down in a panic and clutched her legs tighter to her chest. Why _was _she naked?

Alec's voice suddenly piped up from somewhere in the background.

"Did I just hear someone say Max is naked?" Alec questioned hopefully.

"Oh my God!" Max exclaimed in mortification, glancing at OC for help. The other woman just shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

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Max jerked awake in the tub, her eyes shifting around the room anxiously. Expecting Alec to be just around the corner, waiting to get an eyeful, it took Max a few moments to push away the residual effects of what had to be the strangest dream she'd ever had.

Out of all the details she recalled, one detail stood out above all the rest: what the hell was she doing, dreaming of _Alec_? Jeez, her subconscious had some serious problems.

Pushing that bizarreness aside, she scrubbed all her previous plans for the night.

Cindy was right. About everything. Halloween was the one night freaks like her and Joshua could be like everyone else, pretending to be something they're not. As soon as she got dressed, she was going to take Joshua trick or treating.

oohooaooloo*oloowoo*ooeooeoonoo*

A bit of foreshadowing there, wouldn't you say? Alec referring to Max not ever bailing him out of jail, I mean. Also, I couldn't resist mentioning Zack. I really don't know what else to say. Usually, by the end of a chapter/story, I get pretty chatty. Oh well. I hope you all had a fantastic time reading my "Boo!" rewrite.


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